Electrical switch



April 8 1924 1,489,861

D. TINLOT ELECTRICAL SWITCH n Filed il 4. 1922 Patented Apr. 8, 1924.

STATES PATENT! QFFIG E,

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

Application filed. April 4, 1922. Seria1 1 1'o.549,644.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known-that I, DInUDoNNn TINLOT, a subject of the 'King of Belgium, residing at Nessonvaux, near Liege, -'Belgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawing.

This invention relates-to electrical switche and has for its object to provide an electric'al switch comprising aminimuin number of parts, these parts being simple, strong and adapted for mechanical productiomaiid affording-a device of economical construction presenting in addition the usual facility for installation Without in any way detracting from the fulfilment of the purely electrical desiderata.

The improved switch is characterized by the fact that'the base, which may be of any suitable material, is provided concentrically in series with projections of triangular or other shape so as to constitute a'species of teeth with inclined lateral faces, between which are formed suitablegaps or spaces adapted to receive "the contact members.

The accompanying drawings represent by way of example an electrical switch of the single pole type, but it will be understood that all desirable combinations of making and breaking the electric circuit can {be obtained by the method of operation of the electrical switch which forms the subject of the invention,

Figure '1 represents an elevation of the single-pole switch,

Figure 2 is a plan in section on the A-B of Figure 1. I

Figure 3 shows the elevation and plan of thejsupporting base proper, made of any suitable insulating material.

Figure 1 1 represents details of the operating knob or button.

"Figure .5 illustrates the turningmember.

Figure '6 comprisesthfree detail viewsof one-contact plate.

Figure 7 represents in detail a bridge or line bar'for short-circuiting the contact plates.

Figures shows the central post or spindle of the switc with a detail of its retaining means.

' metall "lined internally with insulation. lug orp-rogection 8 prevents the rotation of *the cover 2, which is retained in place by The switch illustrated comprises a base 1 made from anysuitable insulating material. Upon this base l is placed the cover '2, preferably of insulating material, or of A base lyand provided at 8 with a 'l-ugor attachment for the coupling scre'w'of the wire or cable; the plate 'iscontinued at 9 towards the centre, then turned upwards at 12 to match the'inclin'ation of one oft'he faces of the projections 5, upon which 'it rests; see Figures 1, 2 and 6.

A connecting bridge or short-circuiting bar 10, rotatable as hereafter'explained, has its ends 11 shaped like spoons with suitable profile so as to rest either in the gaps "between the side faces of the projections 5 integral with the base 1 which position'provides theopening of the electrical circuit, or'i-n the alternate gaps of which one side face is neatly covered the correspondingly inclined extension 12 .of'the part 9 of the contact plate 6, in which position the circuit is closed. 7 V

In o'rderto produce the switching-mo ementa ppos't'or the like 1'3, (see Figure secured at-its lower end to the'base land passing through the bridge part 10, is 'provided with a throat 14m receive a washer piece 315 offhorseshoe shape. against which there is pressed a stirrup or turning member 16 a'lso-traversed' by the post or the like 18. By ?means of a coiled spring 17, which presses at one end upon the upper face 18 of bridge-piece 10, and at the other upon the inner face of the stirrup or turning member 16, the bridge 10 is constantly pressed down either upon the contact plates 6 or upon the insulating base, according to its position.

In order to effect the turning of the bridge-piece 10 the operating knob at is provided with a recessed bore 20 of square or rectangular section, fitting upon the upper narrowed portion 21 of the stirrup or turning member 16, the ends or arms 22 of which are adapted to engage at 23 with the bridgepiece 10 (see Figure 2) during the rotation of the knob 4:. Such movement produces firstly the turning of the bridge 10 by the engagement of the part-s 22 and 23, and then a sliding of the extremities 11 of the bridge over the faces of the projections 5, these faces being conductors or not, according to the arrangement of the contact plates 6.

It follows, therefore, that the brigde-piece in its turning movement rises up to the top edges of the projections, compressing the spring 17 which in expanding causes the bridge-piece 10 to slide down the next faces of the projections, so that the spoon-shaped ends 11 come into the next position, either in contact with the plates 6 or in the interrupted position.

The operating knob 4 rotates upon the post or the like 13 and isretained thereon by a screw or nut 24.

A shoulder 25 upon the knob 4 holds the cover 2 in position in engagement with the lug 3. i The invention thus provides a simple and robust switch which can be turned in either direction with a quick-break action, and adaptable to receive the necessary number of contacts and projections to form the various kinds of electrical switch required for electrical installation.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An electric switch comprising a base having a circular series of projections disposed on the upper surface thereof, each of said projections having its upper faces inclined downwardly from a central point thereof and said projections being equally spaced around a center, a pair of contact plates secured to said base having their free ends overlying the diametrically opposed inclined faces of a pair of said projections, a post coaxial with said projections extending upwardly from said base, a knob rotatable on the upper end of said post, a bridging plate rotatable and slidable on-said post having its free ends disposed to engage the inclined faces of said projections and said overlying contact plates, an operating member detachably secured to said knob and comprising a depending arm adapted to engage a side of said bridging member, and a coil spring surrounding said post and hearing at its lower end against said bridging member;

2. An electric switch comprising a base having a circular series of projections disposed on the upper surface thereof, each of said projections having its upper faces inclined downwardly from a central point thereof and said projections being equally spaced around a center, a pair of contact plates secured to said base extending between the projections and having their free ends overlying the diametrically opposed faces of a pair of said projections, a post coaxial with said projections extending upwardly from said base, a knob rotatable on the upper end of said post, a bridging plate rotatable and slid-able on said post having its ends disposed to contact th inclined faces of said projections and said overlying contact plates, said knob having a non-circular recess in its lower end, an operating member rotatable on said post and fitting said recess so as to rotate with said knob, said operating member comprising a pair of depending arms adapted to engage the sides of said bridging plate, and a coil spring surrounding said post and bearing at its ends against said operating member and said bridging plate.

3. An electric switch comprising a base having a circular series of projections disposed on the upper surface thereof, each of said projections having upper faces inclined downwardly from a central point thereof and said projections being equally spaced around a center, a pair of contact plates secured to said base and extending into the diametrically opposite spaces between projections, a post coaxial with said projections fixed to said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a knob rotatable on the upper end of said post, a bridging plate rotatable and slidable on said post and having its ends disposed to engage said projections and contact plates, an arm rotating with said knob adapted to engage said bridging plate, and a coil spring surrounding said post and bearing at its lower end against said bridging plate.

4. An electric switch comprising a base having a circular series of projections disposed on the upper surface thereof, each of said projections having upper faces inclined downwardly from a central point thereof and said projections being equally spaced around a center, a pair of contact plates secured to said base and extending into diametrically opposite spaces between projections, a post coaxial with said projections fixed to said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a bridging plate rotatable and slidable on said post, a knob rotatably mounted on the upper end of said post having a polygonal recess in its lower end, a yoke rotatable on said post and engaged in said recess and having depending ends disposed to contact the sides of said bridging plate, a coil spring surrounding said post and bearing against said bridging plate and yoke, and a cover having a central aperture through which said knob projects, said knob having an annular shoulder engaging the margin of said aperture to hold said cover in place.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

DIEUDONNE TINLOT. Witnesses SEVERINE HANSENNE, YVONNE RIGA. 

